Method of cleaning shrimp



April 22., 1952 s. A. PAOLI 2,594,205

METHOD 0F CLEANING SHRIMP Filed sept. 20, 195o 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 By MM 42, 7mm/ALJ@ H//Orweys April 22, 1952' s. A. PAOLI 2,594,205

METHOD OF CLEANING SHRIMP Filed Sept. 20, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 [Wwenor ifareys Patented Apr. 22, 1952 UNITED STATES #OFFICE METHOD UFG-.CLEANING SHRIMP Stephen Arthur Paoli, Rockford, Ill.

Application `September' 20, 1951),.SerialNo. `185,771

19 Claims.

consequence, the purchaser oiadeheaded shrimp must `remove the outershe1lfrom .the ledible. body portion of the shrimpandremove the-sand vein from the body` of the shrimpbefoxte the shrimp can be eaten. In general the outer shell or jacket isremoved or peeled olf the body of the shrimp i by means of` a knife forthe like. After the shell isremoved from the bodythevein may be cutout of the body. This method ofvcleaning shrimp is a tediousand time consuming task.

4An object of this invention is to yprovide `la novel method of quickly `and ,easily cleaning shrimp.

Another object of this invention yis Lto provide a method -of cleaning shrimp which includes a novel procedure of de-veining the shrimp inthe same operation with removing the shrimp :body from the shell.

A further specic objectof this AAinventionis to provide amethod of cleaningshrimp which includes arnovel `procedure-for severingt-he baekof the shell of Athe shrimp.

A `further objectof this invention'is ftoi'pro vide a` novel method of `cleaningshrimp which may be practiced by the 115e ofsimple tools which may be manually actuated.

Further objects ,and advantages 0f this invention will become apparent from astudy `of Ythe following description.

In the drawings:

Figure l1` shows the relative positions of .the

shrimp 4cleaner and a `shrimp prior y,to'insertion of the` cleaner into theshrimp;

Fig. 2 `shows the shrimp .cleanerinserted into the .sand vein ,of the shrimp;

Fig. 3 shows the cleaner positioned further Within lthe shrimp, with the vwedge portion in engagement with the headendof the shrimpto force-,the shrimp body out of the shell;

Fig. .4 is a view, with Ypartof .theshrimpshell taken away, showing the Aposition of .the shrimp cleaner and the body of theshrimp when the shrimp cleaner is fully inserted intoA the shrimp;

Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating one .form of the shrimp cleaner;

Fig. `6 is a corresponding bottom view ,of the same shrimp cleaner;

Fig. 7 is a top view of a modied form of shrimp cleaning implement having a cutting .edge associated with the prong portion;

Fig. `8 is a Vside view of this .modied form;

" 'Fig.- 9. illustratesone method of 11.51.118 ihlslllQdieldshrmocleaninginstrument:

"Figs 10"and11 1 "illustrate an alternate 4Inc-ithol of` using the modified ,shrimp cleaner, in Whoh `the beek of .the shell lis severedl'by the movement of the implement;

Fig. 1,2 illustrates another'vmodiflcation ojf'the shrimp Cleaning tool. 4and A,repressnts en oxtremely simple vform of `tool `by whichthejpresent invention may be. practiced, and

Fig. 113 4shows the novelmethod employing@ tolof the type s hownin` Fig- 1.2.- p

The novel .method of thshinverrtionpmeybo performed-,by 4using an implement or the typedescribed and olaimedin mi/"oopending application. Semaine. ,96h99, .filed June 2, "119,49, now :Patent No. 2,552,450. Figs. 1 to 14"i1lustrate ^`the use of this .implement `in performing one-form of my novel method, whileFigs. 5 and-16 show Vone Vform of` this implement.

. This implement 10"" includesa l.prongportion 1H, a .wedging jor ,cammrigportion |12, 4and e handle [3, As Shown, the handle i3 forms ythe rear l enti of the implement. theyprone portion forms'the forward rend,` and the wedeing portion ll2 forms the lcentral `portion v.between:the*handle and the prong.. .The 'handle mayfbeof any 'suitebloehono that can be convenientlyfheld. As "shown 1in Fig. 5, a depression "may be fformed between the upper .and :lower surfaces of` the implement 'iet the 'handle l'and wedging portions ,to facilitate manual .gripping of the tool.

`The .wedginggportion Il 2* is rigidly connected to the "handle'and projects forwardly thereof. On the top and` 'bottom Asurfaces ',iof the wedging portion the `side edges 'of zthe tool are preferably spaced'` relatively'far 'apart 'adjacent the handle. .These side edges converge at A:the" -forwarc'iMend Off` the A'ii/'edging 'portion where they"'merge -*with .the sides of the *baseof the prong. 'Theinclined bottom 4vsurface i8 :of the Aweqiging tportion lin efft dQneS ,a eli'vly Wide @am Sillfc .0.1.1 the bottom of'theimplement. VThebottom J,sur-

face of the implement is spaced nrelatively tar apart from the top surface at .the handle, and at the wedging .portion .tapers lereooallytowerd the "top vsurface so that .atthe `Iorwarl end of the wedgng lportion the'bottom surface merges smoothly with thelbottom of thebase `of fthe ever, theprong portion should be of sulcient length so that the prong can move lengthwise of the vein to serve as a guide for the tool, so as to cause the wedging portion I2 to exert a force between the back` I9 of the shell and the shrimp body 20 to wedge the body from the shell. Preferably the point I5 of the prong portion is rounded or made blunt.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the bottom inclined face I8 of the wedging portion may be formed with two transversely inclined surfaces which are asymmetrical, the narrower surface y2.". hav- I of the shrimp is removed from the shell.

ing a steeper taper than the wider surface 23, and Y Any suitable material, such as metals and syn- Y thetic resins, may be used in the casting or molding of this vshrimp cleaning implement. Also the shrimp cleaner may be formed of wood or other materahif desired. This implement may also be used ina machine in which the move-V ments of the operators hands are simulated byv mechanical movements.

-In general, the manner in which this shrimp cleaner is utilized in cleaning shrimp is shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The shrimp is normally arcuate in shape. The operator grasps the shrimp in one hand with the bottom of the shrimp facing outwardly. Simultaneously, the operator straightens the body of the shrimp. The operator thereafter grasps the shrimp cleaner in his other hand and brings the point I5 of the prong'. II into position. as shown in Figure 1, so that the point of the. prong is in alignment with the sand vein I8 of the shrimp.

In Fig..2 the hands of the operator have been moved closer together so that the shrimp cleaner and shrimp have been moved relative to each other. When this relative movement takes place, the prong II is inserted into the vein I6 and is moved lengthwise of the body of the shrimp. The curvature of the prong tends to facilitate the entrance and passage of Vtheprong lengthwise of the sand vein, particularly Where the body of the shrimp is not Acompletely straightened. Preferably, the prong should be somewhat ilexible in order that it may better follow the sand vein.

As further relative movement between the shrimp and the implement takes place, the wedge portion I2 is forced into the sand vein at the headend of the shrimp. When this occurs the back or side Wall I'I of the body of the shrimpV adjacent the .sand vein is ruptured so that'the to'p surface of the shrimp cleaner is against theback I9 of the shell of the shrimp.' During this movement the inclined bottom face I8 of the wedging portion I2 forces the forward end of the shrimp body outwardly of the shell from between the sides, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon continued relative movement of the implement and the shrimp the bottom face I8 of the wedging portion moves farther lengthwise of the shrimp body and effects the complete removal of the body 4 from the shell. Usually the shell is severed on one side immediately adjacent the feet by the wedging action of the tool, which forces the shrimp. body 'away from the back of the shell.

In some instances the sand vein It will be telescoped on to the prong. The vein may be readily removed from the prong after the body In other instances the sand vein I5 may be ruptured when the side wall which denes the passageway containing the sand vein is ruptured, as described above. In the latter case, access to the vein may be had through the ruptured part of the body, so that the vein can be readily removed from the body of the shrimp when the shrimp are being washed. 1

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown an implement H11 generally similar in configuration to that shown in Figs. 5 and 6. On the prong portion I I"v of this implement, spaced rearwardly'from the tioned. This cutting device preferably takes the form of a thin blade Whose inclined cutting surface 251 tapers upwardly and rearwardly away from the prong portion I I. attached to the prong portionby any suitable means, and in the case of a metal implement may be formed integral with the 'prong portion, if desired.

In using the tool of Figs. `7 and 8 the action maybe substantially similar to that in Figs. l to 4 if Ythe shrimp being cleaned is relatively large. As shown in Fig. 9, in such case the blade 25 severs the meat between the back of the shell and the sand vein when the prong is inserted sufficiently far into the shrimp. Thereafter the shrimp body is forced out of the shell by the wedging action described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4. This action is illustrated in Fig. 9. Y

However, if the blade 25 is large enough to Vengage the back of the shell when the prong is inserted into the sand vein, the back of the shell Will be severed along its length as the blade moves lengthwise of the shrimp. This action is illustrated in Fig. 10. In such operation the wedging action of the tool forcing the shrimp body out of the shell is not of primary'importance since the shell is severed along its back by the cutting blade. The shrimp with the back of its shell severed is illustrated in Fig. 11.

Valong the sand vein.

My novel method may also be accomplished by the'use of a relatively simple tool 26, as shown in* Fig. 12. This tool has a handle 2l which may be of any convenient shape, and an elongated rodl like portion 28 which extends from the handle and terminates in a free end 29 which preferably hasva rounded or blunt tip 30. In the use of Va tool of this type, the tip 30' is inserted in the body o f the shrimp at the sand vein and the tip is caused to move along the sand vein. Since the rod-like vportion 28 is substantially straight, as shown, there is no appreciable wedging action of the tool against the shrimp body tending to force the shrimp body from the shell. necessary to cause the tool to move transversely of the shrimp so as to force the shrimp body from the shell. It will be seen that a movement of the handle of the tool toward the back of the shell will, urge the rod-like portion 28 of the tool against that portion of the shrimp body between the sand vein and the back of the shrimp This blade may be Therefore it isv so as toseyer thatportion of the shrimp body, if initial insertionandmovement of the tool Valong thesalnd vein has not already doneso. Also, such lateral umovement oi the tool handle serves to move the vforward end 29 and rod-like portion 28 away from the back of the shell so as to force the shrimp body out of the shell. In following this procedure, it isrpreferable to emploi7 ,a tool having substantially rigid elongated portions 28 and A29 because of the force exerted on these parts during the transverse manipulation of the tool.

The cross sectional shape of the elongated portions 28 and 2,9 of the tool in Fig. 12 may vary. What has been illustrated in this ligure is an extremely simple form of the tool so as to emphasize the wide utility of this process. It will be understood that a wide bottom surface on the rod-like portion will tend to facilitate removal of the shrimp body, since the tool will thereby have a greater bearing surface contacting the body of the shrimp. Also, a bent or arcuate, rather than straight, con-figuration of the elongated portions 28 and 29 of the tool will be preferable since the tool thereby tends better to follow the natural curvature of the sand vein of the shrimp.

While it is usually more advantageous to eiect separation of the body from the shell after the shrimp has been decapitated, this is not essential and the method may be practiced upon shrimp prior to decapitation. In that event it is, of course, necessary to remove the head from the meat in a subsequent operation.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple and convenient method for removing the bodies of shrimp from their shells. By the use of my novel process shrimp can be cleaned in a fraction of the time heretofore required by conventional methods. 'Ihis method of cleaning shrimp is extremely advantageous to restaurant owners and the like, who are required to clean large quantities of shrimp daily because of the time, money, and labor that may be saved by utilizing the present invention. l

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 96,699, led June 2, 1949, is now Patent No. 2,552,450.

I claim:

1. The method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell which comprises applying a force between the body of the shrimp and the back of the shell to force the body outwardly from the shell.

2. In a method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell, the step of exerting a force lengthwise within the body of the shrimp along the sand vein thereof from the head end toward the tail.

3. The method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell which comprises exerting a force lengthwise within the body of the shrimp adjacent the back of the shell from the head end toward the tail, and forcing the shrimp body outwardly from the shell.

4. In a method of removing the body of a decapitated shrimp from the shell, the steps of inserting an elongated toolin. the shrimp and causing relative movement of said tool lengthwise within the shrimp along the sand Vein thereof.

5. In a method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell, the step of causing relative movement of an elongated tool lengthwise within the shrimp along the sand vein thereof from the head end toward the tail.

`fi. ima method of removing :the 'bodysf as, shrimp yfrom the sheligathessteps .of-. insertlngfthe free end of aneloneatedftool in the hcidyph:the4

shrimp at thesandvein thereof, andcausingsaid tool to travel alongthepassaeeway .containing the s `vein from v.the "head end :towardnthe tail to sever the back ,pf the. shrimp body'cbev.

theusand vein, and :the back .of 'the Shell. and. forcing `the shrimp. body ,outwardly lfrom-:theishehby a force applied :betweenthebodyfoftheshrmn and the back of the shell.

8. The method of removing the body of a.

shrimp fromV the shell which comprises applying a force between the body of the shrimp and the back of the shell, severing the back of the shrimp body between the sand vein and the back of the shell, and forcing the shrimp body outwardly from the shell.

9. The method of removing the body of a. shrimp from the shell which comprises the steps of exerting a force lengthwise within the body of the shrimp along the sand vein thereof, and exerting a force to sever the back of the shrimp body between the sand vein and the back of the shell.

10. The method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell which comprises the steps of exerting a force lengthwise within the body of the shrimp along the sand vein thereof, severing the back of the shrimp body between the sand f vein and the back of the shell, and forcing the shrimp body outwardly from the shell.

11. The -method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell which comprises the steps of causing relative movement of an elongated tool lengthwise within the shrimp along the sand vein thereof, and exerting by said movement of the tool a force to sever the back of the shrimp body between the sand vein and the body of the shell.

12. The method of removing the body of a shrimp from its shell which comprises concurrently applying a force to rupture the back of the body to remove the sand vein from the body and wedge the body of the shrimp outwardly of the shell.

13. The method of cleaning a shrimp, comprising applyings a force to the insides of the sand vein to rupture the back of the body of the shrimp to'eiiect removal of the sand vein, and concurrently applying a force between the side walls of the passageway denning the sand vein in the body and the back of the shell to urge the body of the shrimp from between the sides of the shell and outwardly from the back of the shrimp.

14. The method of removing a body of a shrimp from its shell, which comprises progressively applying a wedging force between the back of the body and the back of the shell, from the head end of the shrimp to its tail, to wedge the body progressively from the shell.

15. The method of removing a body of a shrimp from its shell, which comprises progressively applying a wedging force to the side walls of the passageway defining the sand vein, in a direction from the head end of the shrimp to its tail, to rupture the back of the body and to force the body of theshrimp progressively outwardly from the shell.

16. The method of removing the body oi' a. shrimp from the shell, which comprises the steps of exerting a. force' lengthwise within the body of the shrimp' along the sand vein thereof and exerting a force to sever the back of the shell.

17. The method of-removing the body of a shrimp from the shell, which comprises the steps ofexerting a force within the body of theghrimp along the sand vein Athereof and exerting a cutting force to sever the back of the shell.

1 18. The method of removing the body of a shrimp from the shell,which comprises the steps of causing relative movement of an elongated tool lengthwise within the shrimp along the sand veinthereof, and exerting by said movement of the tool a cutting force' to sever the back of the shell.

19. The method of removing the-body ofv V; decapitated shrimp from the shell which comprises the steps of inserting an elongated tool into the sand vein, causing relative movement of the tool lengthwise within the shrr'np in the direction of the sand vein thereof, and applying a force to the tool to cause that portion of the tool within the shrimp to move transversely of the longitudinal axis of the shrimpaway from the back of the shell, so as to force the shrimp body outwardly from the shell.-

STEPHEN ARTHUR PAOLI;

No references cited. 

